As the intense heatwave continues to grip Greece, the Ministry of Labor has announced emergency measures aimed at safeguarding private-sector employees from dangerous heat exposure. The directive, issued for Tuesday, July 8, includes mandatory work stoppages in specific outdoor sectors across several regions.

Mandatory Midday Work Suspension in High-Risk Areas

In a bid to protect workers from heat-related stress, employers in the private sector are now required to implement both technical and organizational safety measures. Most notably, a mandatory halt of all manual outdoor labor between 12:00 and 5:00 pm has been enforced in areas forecasted to experience extreme temperatures and high thermal discomfort levels, as per the latest data from the National Meteorological Service (EMY).

The suspension applies to various types of outdoor manual work—including construction, technical projects, shipyard activities, and product deliveries made via bicycles, scooters, or skates (such as delivery services). The regions affected include:

• Thessaloniki (urban area)
• Regional units of Serres, Halkidiki, Larissa, Karditsa, Trikala, Aetolia-Acarnania, Phthiotis, Boeotia, Achaea, Laconia
• Ionian Islands
• Eastern Lesbos (Gera Gulf and the city of Mytilene)
• Eastern Rhodes
• Lowland areas of Evros (especially the Soufli region)

Measures Apply to All Workers—Regardless of Contract Type

The directive applies to all workers involved in outdoor manual labor, regardless of the nature of their employment. For delivery services, the work stoppage includes all businesses offering delivery—whether operating through physical storefronts or digital platforms.

However, the ministry clarified that takeaway services—where customers collect their orders from the store—can remain active. Additionally, deliveries conducted using private or public-use vehicles that are not two-wheeled (i.e., not bicycles or mopeds) may continue.